TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present invention relates to an exhaust purification device of an internal combustion
engine.
BACKGROUND ART
[0002] Known in the art is an internal combustion engine arranging a particulate filter
carrying a catalyst in an engine exhaust passage, arranging a selective reduction
catalyst in the exhaust passage downstream of the particulate filter, and feeding
urea into the exhaust passage upstream of the particulate filter (for example, see
Japanese Patent Publication (A) No.
2004-511691). In this internal combustion engine, when the catalyst carried on the particulate
filter is activated, the unburned HC and CO contained in the exhaust gas are removed
by oxidation at the particulate filter and the particulate contained in the exhaust
gas is burned off on the particulate filter. Furthermore, in this internal combustion
engine, the NO
x contained in the exhaust gas is reduced on the selective reduction catalyst by the
urea fed into the exhaust passage.
[0003] However, if urea is fed into the engine exhaust passage in this way, the intermediate
product derived from this urea will react the unburned HC contained in the exhaust
gas and produce harmful hydrogen cyanide HCN. In this case, when a large amount of
unburned HC is exhausted from the engine such as particularly at the time of engine
cold start, and at the instant when the unburned HC in the exhaust gas increases during
vehicle operation, a large amount of hydrogen cyanide will be produced. As a result,
the problem arises of a large amount of hydrogen cyanide HCN exceeding the allowable
concentration being exhausted into the atmosphere.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
[0004] An object of the present invention is to provide an exhaust purification device of
an internal combustion engine able to suppress the exhaust of hydrogen cyanide into
the atmosphere.
[0005] According to the present invention, there is provided an exhaust purification device
of internal combustion engine arranging a urea adsorption type selective reduction
catalyst in an engine exhaust passage and feeding urea into exhaust gas flowing into
the selective reduction catalyst so as to reduce NO
x contained in the exhaust gas in the selective reduction catalyst, wherein an HC adsorption
catalyst for adsorbing HC in the exhaust gas is arranged in the engine exhaust passage
upstream of the selective reduction catalyst so as to suppress the generation of hydrogen
cyanide.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0006] FIG. 1 is an overview of an internal combustion engine, FIG. 2 is a view showing
the relationship between the HCN exhaust concentration and the HC desorption rate,
FIG. 3 is a view showing the relationship between the HC desorption rate and the HC
adsorption amount, FIG. 4 is a view of the relationship between the HCN exhaust rate
and HC adsorption amount, FIG. 5 is a time chart showing the temperature raising control,
FIG. 6 is a view showing a map of the NO
x adsorption amount W etc., FIG. 7 is a flowchart of HC desorption control, FIG. 8
is a view showing regions where the HCN exhaust concentration becomes more than the
reference value and becomes less than the reference value, FIG. 9 is a flowchart for
HC desorption control, FIG. 10 is a view showing the relationship of the temperature
raising rate and HC desorption rate etc., FIG. 11 is a view showing the relationship
of the temperature raising rate and HC adsorption amount, and FIG. 12 is an overview
showing another embodiment of an internal combustion engine.
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
[0007] FIG. 1 shows an overview of a compression ignition type internal combustion engine.
[0008] Referring to FIG. 1, 1 indicates an engine body, 2 a combustion chamber of a cylinder,
3 an electronic control type fuel injector for injecting fuel into each combustion
chamber 2, 4 an intake manifold, and 5 an exhaust manifold. The intake manifold 4
is connected through an intake duct 6 to the outlet of a compressor 7a of an exhaust
turbocharger 7, while the inlet of the compressor 7a is connected through an air flow
meter 8 to an air cleaner 9. Inside the intake duct 6, a throttle valve 10 driven
by a step motor is arranged. Further, around the intake duct 6, a cooling device 11
for cooling the intake air flowing through the inside of the intake duct 6 is arranged.
In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the engine cooling water is guided to the cooling
device 11 where the engine cooling water cools the intake air.
[0009] On the other hand, the exhaust manifold 5 is connected to the inlet of an exhaust
turbine 7b of the exhaust turbocharger 7, while the outlet of the exhaust turbine
7b is connected to the inlet of a HC adsorption catalyst 12. The outlet of the HC
adsorption catalyst 12 is connected to the inlet of a urea adsorption type selective
reduction catalyst 14 via an exhaust pipe 13, and the outlet of the selective reduction
catalyst 14 is connected to an exhaust pipe 15. A urea feed valve 16 for feeding a
urea to the selective reduction catalyst 14 is arranged in the exhaust pipe 13, and
an aqueous urea solution containing a urea therein is injected into the exhaust gas
from the urea feed valve 16. In addition, temperature sensors 17, 18 for detecting
the temperature of the exhaust gas are arranged in the exhaust pipes 13, 15, respectively.
[0010] The exhaust manifold 5 and the intake manifold 4 are connected to each other through
an exhaust gas recirculation (hereinafter referred to as the "EGR") passage 19. Inside
the EGR passage 19 is arranged an electronic control type EGR control valve 20. Further,
around the EGR passage 19 is arranged a cooling device 21 for cooling the EGR gas
flowing through the inside of the EGR passage 19. In the embodiment shown in FIG.
1, the engine cooling water is guided through the cooling device 21, where the engine
cooling water is used to cool the EGR gas. On the other hand, each fuel injector 3
is connected through a fuel feed pipe 22 to a common rail 23. Fuel is fed into the
common rail 23 from an electronically controlled variable discharge fuel pump 24,
and the fuel fed into the common rail 23 is fed through each fuel pipe 22 to the fuel
injectors 3.
[0011] An electronic control unit 30 is comprised of a digital computer provided with a
ROM (read only memory) 32, RAM (random access memory) 33, CPU (microprocessor) 34,
input port 35, and output port 36 all connected to each other by a bi-directional
bus 31. The output signal of the air flow meter 8 and the output signals of the temperature
sensors 17, 18 are input through corresponding AD converters 37 into the input port
35. The accelerator pedal 40 has a load sensor 41 generating an output voltage proportional
to the amount of depression L of the accelerator pedal 40 connected to it. The output
voltage of the load sensor 41 is input through a corresponding AD converter 37 to
the input port 35. Further, the input port 35 has a crank angle sensor 42 generating
an output pulse each time the crank shaft rotates by for example 15°C connected to
it. On the other hand, the output port 36 is connected through corresponding drive
circuits 38 to the fuel injectors 3, throttle valve 10 drive step motor, urea feed
valve 16, EGR control valve 20, and fuel pump 24.
[0012] The selective reduction catalyst 14 is for example comprised of zeolite having a
transition metal. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the selective reduction catalyst
14 is comprised of Fe-zeolite. When aqueous urea solution is fed from the urea feed
valve 16, the majority of the urea in the aqueous urea solution is adsorbed at the
selective reduction catalyst 14. The adsorbed urea generates ammonia NH
3 while changing form, that is, while changing to an intermediate product. The NO
x contained in the exhaust gas is reduced by reacting with the ammonia NH
3 produced on the selective reduction catalyst 14. In the embodiment according to the
present invention, the aqueous urea solution is fed from the urea feed valve 16 so
that the amount of urea adsorption adsorbed at the selective reduction catalyst 14
becomes a sufficient amount for reducing the NO
x.
[0013] In this regard, when unburned HC flows into the selective reduction catalyst 14 at
which urea has been adsorbed in this way, intermediate products derived from urea
generated in the selective reduction catalyst 14 react with the unburned HC whereby
harmful hydrogen cyanide HCN is generated. In this case, when the amount of hydrogen
cyanide HCN produced is small and thus the concentration of hydrogen cyanide HCN in
the exhaust gas exhausted into the air is low, there is no particular problem.
[0014] However, when a large amount of unburned HC is sent into the selective reduction
catalyst 14, a large amount of hydrogen cyanide HCN is produced and the concentration
of hydrogen cyanide HCN exhausted into the atmosphere ends up exceeding the allowable
concentration, that is, a predetermined reference value. Therefore, in the present
invention, to remove the unburned HC contained in the exhaust gas flowing into the
selective reduction catalyst 14 by adsorption, an HC adsorption catalyst 12 is arranged
upstream of the selective reduction catalyst 14.
[0015] In the embodiment according to the present invention, this HC adsorption catalyst
12 is comprised of zeolite. This zeolite has the function of adsorbing the unburned
HC even when the temperature of the zeolite is low such as at the time of engine cold
start. Therefore, even when a large amount of unburned HC is exhausted from the engine
such as at the time of engine cold start, the unburned HC is adsorbed by the HC adsorption
catalyst 12 and therefore a large amount of hydrogen cyanide HCN can be prevented
from being exhausted into the atmosphere.
[0016] Note that this HC adsorption catalyst 12 may also, for example, carry an oxidation
catalyst comprised of platinum Pt. In this case, when the oxidation catalyst is not
activated, the majority of the unburned HC in the exhaust gas is adsorbed at the HC
adsorption catalyst 12. When the oxidation catalyst is activated, the majority of
the unburned HC in the exhaust gas is oxidized. Therefore, in this case, both when
the oxidation catalyst is not activated or is activated, inflow of a large amount
of unburned HC to the selective reduction catalyst 14 is prevented.
[0017] In this regard, it is substantially almost impossible to completely prevent hydrogen
cyanide HCN from being exhausted into the atmosphere. If considering social demands,
it is sufficient to suppress the concentration of the hydrogen cyanide HCN exhausted
into the atmosphere to the allowable concentration, that is, a predetermined reference
value or less. Therefore, if it were possible to suppress the concentration of hydrogen
cyanide HCN exhausted into the atmosphere to the reference value or less, it would
also be possible to desorb the adsorbed HC from the HC adsorption catalyst 12. Below,
the relationship between this HC desorption action and the concentration of hydrogen
cyanide HCN exhausted into the atmosphere will be explained.
[0018] FIG. 2 shows the relationship between the HC desorption rate (weight/unit time) from
the HC adsorption catalyst 12 and the concentration of hydrogen cyanide HCN in the
exhaust gas flowing out from the selective reduction catalyst 14, that is, the exhaust
concentration of the hydrogen cyanide HCN exhausted into the atmosphere. Note that
FIG. 2 shows the two relationships of the HC desorption rate and HCN exhaust concentration
for the case where the amount of urea adsorption at the selective reduction catalyst
14 is large and the case where it is small.
[0019] The higher the HC desorption rate, the greater the amount of HC desorbed from the
HC adsorption catalyst 12 per unit time, so, as shown in FIG. 2, regardless of the
magnitude of the urea adsorption amount, the higher the HC desorption rate, the higher
the HCN exhaust concentration. Further, even if the HC desorption rate is the same,
the larger the urea adsorption amount, the higher the HCN exhaust concentration. Therefore,
as shown in FIG. 2, the curve showing when the urea adsorption amount is large is
positioned above the curve showing when the urea adsorption amount is small.
[0020] On the other hand, FIG. 2 shows the allowable concentration of the HCN exhaust concentration,
that is, the reference value RX. From FIG. 2, it is learned that when the urea adsorption
amount is small, if making the HC desorption rate less than Ya, the HCN exhaust concentration
will become less than the reference value RX, while when the urea adsorption amount
is large, if making the HC desorption rate less than Yb, the HCN exhaust concentration
will become less than the reference value RX. Therefore, in the present invention,
the HC desorption rate from the HC adsorption catalyst 12 is suppressed so that the
hydrogen cyanide concentration in the exhaust gas flowing out from the selective reduction
catalyst 14 becomes less than the predetermined reference value RX.
[0021] In this regard, between the HC desorption rate and HC adsorption amount, as shown
in FIG. 3, there is the relationship that the greater the HC adsorption amount, the
higher the HC desorption rate. Therefore, if the urea adsorption amount is constant,
as shown in FIG. 4, the greater the HC adsorption amount, the higher the HCN exhaust
concentration. Therefore, in the case shown in FIG. 4, it is learned that when the
HC adsorption amount is less than WX, if HC is made to desorb from the HC adsorption
catalyst 12, the HCN exhaust concentration will fall to less than the reference value
RX. Therefore, in one embodiment according to the present invention, when the HC adsorption
amount is less than the allowable HC adsorption amount WX, an HC desorption action
from the HC adsorption catalyst 12 is performed.
[0022] In this regard, if raising the temperature of the HC adsorption catalyst 12, the
HC desorption action from the HC adsorption catalyst 12 is started. Therefore, in
an embodiment according to the present invention, when HC should be desorbed from
the HC adsorption catalyst 12, the HC adsorption catalyst 12 is raised in temperature.
The temperature raising control of the HC adsorption catalyst 12 is performed by for
example retarding the injection timing to raise the exhaust gas temperature or by
injecting additional fuel into the expansion stroke to raise the exhaust gas temperature.
[0023] Summarizing the above, in an embodiment of the present invention, as the amount of
HC able to be adsorbed by the HC adsorption catalyst 12, the allowable HC adsorption
amount WX where the hydrogen cyanide concentration in the exhaust gas flowing out
from the selective reduction catalyst 14 becomes less than the reference value RX
when the HC is desorbed from the HC adsorption catalyst 12 is found in advance. When
the amount of adsorption of HC at the HC adsorption catalyst 12 is less than the allowable
HC adsorption amount WX, the temperature raising action of the HC adsorption catalyst
12 is performed for making the HC desorb from the HC adsorption catalyst 12. In this
case, in the example shown in FIG. 4, the allowable HC adsorption amount RX is made
a constant value.
[0024] FIG. 5 shows an example of HC desorption control. In this example, temperature raising
control of the HC adsorption catalyst 12 is performed every time the HC adsorption
amount ΣW of the HC adsorption catalyst 12 reaches the allowable HC adsorption amount
WX, whereby the HC is desorbed from the HC adsorption catalyst 12. Note that in the
example shown in FIG. 5, the HC adsorption amount ΣW is calculated by cumulatively
adding the HC adsorption amount W per unit time. This HC adsorption amount W per unit
time is found in advance by experiments and is stored as a function of the required
torque TQ and engine speed N in the form of the map shown in FIG. 6(A) in advance
in the ROM 32.
[0025] On the other hand, the HC desorption rate WD from the HC adsorption catalyst 12,
as shown in FIG. 6(B), is a function of the temperature TC of the HC adsorption catalyst
12. When the temperature TC of the HC adsorption catalyst 12 exceeds the desorption
start temperature, the HC desorption rate WD rapidly rises. The amount of reduction
of the HC adsorption amount ΣW at the time of the temperature raising control shown
in FIG. 5 is calculated using the HC desorption rate WD shown in FIG. 6(B). Note that
the HC adsorption amount ΣW of the HC adsorption catalyst 12 can also be found from
the temperature history of the HC adsorption catalyst 12, the running distance of
the vehicle, the detection value of the HC concentration in the exhaust gas flowing
out from the HC adsorption catalyst 12, etc.
[0026] FIG. 7 shows the routine for desorption control of HC.
[0027] Referring to FIG. 7, first, at step 50, it is judged if temperature raising control
of the HC adsorption catalyst 12 is in progress. Usually, temperature raising control
is not in progress, so the routine proceeds to step 51 where the HC adsorption amount
W per unit time is calculated from the map shown in FIG. 6(A). Next, at step 52, the
HC adsorption amount W is added to the HC adsorption amount ΣW. Next, at step 53,
it is judged if the HC adsorption amount ΣW has become larger than the allowable HC
adsorption amount WX. When the NO
x adsorption amount ΣW becomes larger than the allowable HC adsorption amount WX, the
routine proceeds to step 54 where the temperature raising control of the HC adsorption
catalyst 12 is started.
[0028] When the temperature raising control is started, the routine proceeds from step 50
to step 55 where the temperature raising control is continued. At step 56, the HC
desorption rate WD is calculated from the relationship shown in FIG. 6(B) based on
the temperature TC of the HC adsorption catalyst 12 estimated from the temperature
detected by the temperature sensor 17. Next, at step 57, the HC desorption rate WD
expressing the HC desorption amount per unit time is subtracted from the HC adsorption
amount ΣW. Next, at step 58, it is judged if the HC adsorption amount ΣW has become
zero or negative. When ΣW≤0, the routine proceeds to step 59, where the temperature
raising control is ended, then, at step 60, ΣW is cleared.
[0029] As explained above, FIG. 4 shows the reference value RX when the urea adsorption
amount is made constant. As opposed to this, the boundary SX between the region where
the HCN exhaust concentration becomes less than the reference value RX and the region
where it becomes more than the reference value RX when considering the urea adsorption
amount is shown in FIG. 8(A). As will be understood from FIG. 2, the greater the urea
adsorption amount, the smaller the HC desorption rate when the HCN exhaust concentration
becomes the reference value RX, that is, the HC adsorption amount. Therefore, the
region of the urea adsorption amount and HC adsorption amount where the HCN exhaust
concentration becomes less than the reference value RX becomes the region shown by
the hatching in FIG. 8(A).
[0030] In this regard, the limit of the HC adsorption amount where the HCN exhaust concentration
will not become more than the reference value at the time of a certain urea adsorption
amount in FIG. 8(A) is the boundary SX. Therefore, this boundary SX corresponds to
the allowable HC adsorption amount WX. Therefore, when considering the urea adsorption
amount, as shown in FIG. 8(B), the allowable HC adsorption amount WX becomes smaller
the greater the amount of urea adsorbed at the selective reduction catalyst 14. In
this embodiment, the temperature raising action of the HC adsorption catalyst 12 is
performed when the HC adsorption amount reaches the allowable HC adsorption amount
WX shown in FIG. 8(B).
[0031] FIG. 9 shows a routine for desorption control of HC.
[0032] Referring to FIG. 9, first, at step 70, it is judged if temperature raising control
of the HC adsorption catalyst 12 is in progress. Usually, the temperature raising
control is not in progress, so the routine proceeds to step 71 where the HC adsorption
amount W per unit time is calculated from the map shown in FIG. 6(A). Next, at step
72, the HC adsorption amount W is added to the HC adsorption amount ΣW. Next, at step
73, the urea feed amount QA fed from the urea feed valve 16 is calculated.
[0033] Next, at step 74, the NO
x exhaust amount from the engine in accordance with the operating state of the engine
is found, and the urea desorption amount QB desorbed for reducing this NO
x is calculated. Next, at step 75, the urea feed amount QA is added to the urea adsorption
amount ΣQ and the urea desorption amount QB is subtracted from the urea adsorption
amount ΣQ. Next, at step 76, based on this urea adsorption amount ΣQ, the allowable
HC adsorption amount WX is calculated from FIG. 8(B). Next, at step 77, it is judged
if the NO
x adsorption amount ΣW has become larger than the allowable HC adsorption amount WX.
When the NO
x adsorption amount ΣW becomes larger than the allowable HC adsorption amount WX, the
routine proceeds to step 78 where temperature raising control of the HC adsorption
catalyst 12 is started.
[0034] When the temperature raising control is started, the routine proceeds from step 70
to step 79, where temperature raising control is continued. At step 80, the HC desorption
rate WD is calculated from the relationship shown in FIG. 6(B) based on the temperature
TC of the HC adsorption catalyst 12 estimated from the temperature detected by the
temperature sensor 17. Next, at step 81, the HC desorption rate WD is subtracted from
the HC adsorption amount ΣW. Next, at step 82, it is judged if the HC adsorption amount
ΣW has become zero or negative. When ΣW≤0, the routine proceeds to step 83, where
temperature raising control is ended, then at step 84, ΣW is cleared.
[0035] Next, still another embodiment will be explained with reference to FIGS. 10(A) and
(B) and FIG. 11.
[0036] As explained with reference to FIG. 6(B), the HC desorption rate rises rapidly when
the temperature TC of the HC adsorption catalyst 12 exceeds the desorption start temperature,
therefore, as shown in FIG. 10(A), the HC desorption rate becomes higher the higher
the temperature raising rate of the HC adsorption catalyst 12. Therefore, if changing
the abscissa of FIG. 2 to the temperature raising rate, the HCN exhaust concentration
and temperature raising rate become the relationship shown in FIG. 10(B). However,
FIG. 10(B), unlike FIG. 2, shows the two relationships of the HCN exhaust concentration
and temperature raising rate for the case where the HC adsorption amount is large
and the case where it is small.
[0037] As will be understood from FIG. 10(B), the temperature raising rate when the HCN
exhaust concentration becomes the reference value RX becomes lower the greater the
HC adsorption amount. That is, to maintain the HCN exhaust concentration at the reference
value RX or less, it is necessary to lower the temperature raising rate the higher
the HC adsorption amount. Therefore, in this embodiment, at the time of the temperature
raising control at step 55 of FIG. 7 or step 79 of FIG. 9, the greater the HC adsorption
amount to the HC adsorption catalyst 12 at the time of start of temperature raising
control of the HC adsorption catalyst 12 shown in FIG. 11, the lower the temperature
raising rate is made.
[0038] FIG. 12 shows still another embodiment. In this embodiment, a bypass passage 25 bypassing
the selective reduction catalyst 14 and extending to the exhaust pipe 15 is branched
from the exhaust pipe 13 between the HC adsorption catalyst 12 and the selective reduction
catalyst 14. A flow switching valve 26 is arranged at the branching part of this bypass
passage 25. Further, inside the exhaust pipe 13, an HC concentration sensor 27 is
arranged for detecting the concentration of unburned HC in the exhaust gas flowing
out from the HC adsorption catalyst 12.
[0039] In this embodiment, when the HC concentration in the exhaust gas flowing out from
the HC adsorption catalyst 12 is less than a predetermined allowable concentration,
the flow switching valve 26 is held at the position shown by the solid line in FIG.
12. Therefore, at this time, the exhaust gas flowing out from the HC adsorption catalyst
12 is sent into the selective reduction catalyst 14. As opposed to this, when the
HC concentration in the exhaust gas flowing out from the HC adsorption catalyst 12
becomes more than the predetermined allowable concentration, the flow switching valve
26 is switched to the position shown by the broken line in FIG. 12. Therefore, at
this time, the exhaust gas is sent into the bypass passage 25 and thereby the generation
of hydrogen cyanide HCN is prevented.
1. An exhaust purification device of internal combustion engine arranging a urea adsorption
type selective reduction catalyst in an engine exhaust passage and feeding urea into
exhaust gas flowing into the selective reduction catalyst so as to reduce NOx contained in the exhaust gas in the selective reduction catalyst, wherein an HC adsorption
catalyst for adsorbing HC in the exhaust gas is arranged in the engine exhaust passage
upstream of the selective reduction catalyst so as to suppress the generation of hydrogen
cyanide.
2. An exhaust purification device of internal combustion engine as claimed in claim 1,
wherein said HC adsorption catalyst is comprised of zeolite.
3. An exhaust purification device of internal combustion engine as claimed in claim 1,
wherein an oxidation catalyst is carried on said HC adsorption catalyst.
4. An exhaust purification device of internal combustion engine as claimed in claim 1,
wherein a desorption rate of HC from said HC adsorption catalyst is suppressed so
that a hydrogen cyanide concentration in the exhaust gas flowing out from said selective
reduction catalyst becomes less than a predetermined reference value.
5. An exhaust purification device of internal combustion engine as claimed in claim 4,
wherein as an HC adsorption amount which said HC adsorption catalyst can adsorb, an
allowable HC adsorption amount when the hydrogen cyanide concentration in the exhaust
gas flowing out from said selective reduction catalyst becomes less than said reference
value when making HC desorb from the HC adsorption catalyst is found in advance, and
a temperature raising action of the HC adsorption catalyst is performed making HC
desorb from the HC adsorption catalyst when the HC adsorption amount to the HC adsorption
catalyst is less than the allowable HC adsorption amount.
6. An exhaust purification device of internal combustion engine as claimed in claim 5,
wherein said allowable HC adsorption amount is a fixed value.
7. An exhaust purification device of internal combustion engine as claimed in claim 5,
wherein said allowable HC adsorption amount is made smaller the larger the amount
of urea adsorbed at said selective reduction catalyst.
8. An exhaust purification device of internal combustion engine as claimed in claim 5,
wherein the greater the HC adsorption amount to the HC adsorption catalyst at the
time of start of temperature raising control of the HC adsorption catalyst, the lower
the temperature raising rate is made.
9. An exhaust purification device of internal combustion engine as claimed in claim 5,
wherein calculating means for calculating the HC adsorption amount to the HC adsorption
catalyst is provided.
10. An exhaust purification device of internal combustion engine as claimed in claim 1,
wherein a bypass passage bypassing said selective reduction catalyst is branched from
the engine exhaust passage between said HC adsorption catalyst and said selective
reduction catalyst, the exhaust gas is sent into the selective reduction catalyst
when the concentration of HC in the exhaust gas flowing out from the HC adsorption
catalyst is less than a predetermined allowable concentration, and the exhaust gas
is sent into the bypass passage when the concentration of HC in the exhaust gas flowing
out from the HC adsorption catalyst becomes more than predetermined allowable concentration.